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| From left: Sharon, Sage's Army's Carmen Capozzi, and Chip |
We recently had the chance to sit down with Carmen Capozzi, the founder of Sage's Army, to discuss what Sage's Army does, who it helps, and how you can get involved in their cause.
Helping Hands Rock Reviews: What events led you to start Sage's Army?
Carmen Capozzi: The death of my son, Sage. Sage passed away on March 5, 2012. He overdosed on heroin. He was 20 years old. I spent two days on the floor. On the second day, I heard Sage's voice say, "Dad, get up. They're not bad kids. You have to help." So, I did and, five days later, Sage's Army was started. My goal was to break the stigma of addiction. Addiction is a disease and we need to treat it as one.
HHRR: What does Sage's Army do?
CC: Awareness, Compassion, and Action. We speak at schools or any public event. We have community meetings once a month. I have even stopped at bus stops to talk to parents. [Drug abuse] is a growing epidemic. We are working with local and state legislators to stop it.
HHRR: The hub for Sage's Army is your Facebook Group. What goes on in the Sage's Army Facebook Group and how can someone join?
CC: The Facebook page took on a life of its own. People are looking for help or to give help. Addicts helping addicts, parents helping parents. We post educational videos. It has also given people strength to not hide in shame or embarrassment. We are breaking the stigma. [Editor's Note: You can visit the Sage's Army Facebook Group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/sagesarmy.]
HHRR: Are there any resources or advice that you recommend for anyone struggling with drug addiction, families of those who are struggling with drug addiction, or even teens who are likely to encounter peer pressure to try drugs?
CC: We have a lot of resources on our website, http://www.sagesarmy.com. The Facebook page is great for asking for advice or info and people will comment. We are not professionals. We are mostly people who have lived the nightmare and can tell you what worked and what didn't work for us.
HHRR: Any final words about Sage's Army and its mission that you'd like to share with our readers?
CC: No one asked to become an addict. Some have made a bad choice to try a drug or were influenced by someone like a friend, doctor, or the media. We need to treat this as a medical condition and get the right help for a person suffering from addiction. The drugs that are on our streets and in our hospitals today are killing generations of people. Drugs are like a loaded gun. If they don't kill you, they will rob you of your life. And the drug dealer needs to be held responsible for using that gun! [People] discriminate against the addict and that keeps the drug dealer in business. Drugs don't discriminate, people do!
If you're interested in supporting Sage's Army, you can buy merchandise or make a donation directly to Sage's Army at http://www.sagesarmy.com/Products.html.
